Thermaltake Litepower 450W Power Supply Review

Introduction:

Carbon dioxide emissions and their effects, global warming in particular, make the news frequently these days, and more and more people are now considering the environmental impact of their purchases - from cars to light bulbs. The PC industry is no different, and the drive to produce more energy efficient devices, especially ATX power supplies, continues. Power supply output power continues to rise, but do we really need one kilowatt of electrical power to run our latest build? The answer, in most cases, is probably not - and in reality, a power supply of 400~500 watts will easily power the vast majority of computers in use today.

Not all power supplies are created equal, and for a successful and stable build, the user needs to be confident that a power supply can deliver its rated output. Generic, low cost, low quality units should be avoided, because in all likelihood they will not deliver their rated power; for this reason, a little time spent researching a future purchase will be time well spent. Spend a little while looking at power supply reviews on the internet, visit PC enthusiast forums like OCC, sign up and ask some questions and you will very quickly pick up the knowledge needed to make an informed decision on which power supply to invest your hard earned money.

This time around, I will be putting a 450W unit from Thermaltake to the test. Thermaltake was established in January 1999, and soon became arguably the number one choice for PC enthusiasts worldwide. Thermaltake now produces a wide range of high quality PC cases, cooling solutions, and power supplies for the PC DIY market. Thermaltake recently introduced the Litepower series of power supplies, available with 350W, 450W, and 500W outputs.

Closer Look:

The packaging of the Thermaltake Litepower 450W is basic - no glossy finish to the box, or high quality photographs to show the contents; it's a plain matte white box with a minimal use of colour. The top of the box shows the fan grill, in what I can only describe as a very poor photocopy-type style; simple, but effective. The underside of the box gives directions to the Thermaltake website in several different languages, for those that require detailed product information, technology features (dual 12V rails and silent 12cm fan), connector types with quantities, and icons showing all the agency approvals. The power supply wattage is clearly shown on the front panel's orange cardboard wrap, along with a 5 year warranty sticker, Tt Eco-Friendly, and 80 Plus Bronze logos, and a list of power supply features which is continued on the underside. Like other Thermaltake power supplies, this packaging is probably used throughout the Litepower range, with different cardboard wrap labels.

Pictures of the front and rear of the power supply adorn the box sides, along with a Thermaltake logo.

The orange wrap label is the only hint of colour on the box sides, and is used to give specific model number and serial number.

Lift the lid, and the box contents are pretty basic. The power supply is protected with bubble wrap and a sheet of thin foam, not visible in the photographs, covering the base of the box. The Thermaltake Litepower 450W is not modular, and all the cables are neatly stashed and held in place with a Velcro strap.

Bubble wrapped power supply and box contents, which include a comprehensive user manual in several different languages, Key 3 Spirit leaflet, case mounting screws and power chord.

A basic set of accessories, but really all that's needed for the vast majority of builds.